The Angry Brother
by snobunniex3
Summary: another story in my brothers 'verse :) let know what you think of this one :)


Hey, so apparently I still have a few ideas for this series of oneshots, who'd of thunk it :)

I wasnt sure if I was gonna post it but I figured might as well. Let me know what you think!

* * *

Lindsey sat in the uncomfortabe plastic chair next to his brother's hospital bed and listened to the doctor explain his injuries. Compared to his usual injuries, this wasn't so bad. Lindsey was sure the only reason Eliot was even in the hospital and not patching himself up is because the other guy hit him hard enough in the head to knock him out. That and the police officer. He probably would of dragged Eliot in just so he could arrest him.

"Your brother caused quite a bit of trouble at the bar. " the policeman started. "I brought in three other unconscious men and two more injured. "

"What exactly makes you certain my brother was the causer of all this trouble?" Lindsey interrupted, knowing full well that Eliot probably _had_ started the fight.

"Do you have any kind of proof?" He asked, putting his 4 years of law school to good use.

"Well no, not exactly. But we know-"

"Nothing, since you weren't there. Or are you telling me you just happened to be in a bar by chance when a fought broke out? If so I would very much like to know what you were doing in said bar while on duty, _officer_." Lindsey tore into the policeman standing across the room,not giving him a chance to defend himself.

"My brother is the most seriously injured, he was fighting on his own against at least 5 other men, if what you stated earlier is true. So tell me, officer, why is it that your first suspect is my brother? Perhaps because you are related to two of the other men involved in this fight? "

"I wasn't there to- I mean I assumed-well my cousins certainly wouldn't. Look kid, I've got business I need to take care of. I'm going to let your brother off with a warning, this time." And then the officer left before Lindsey could get another word in.

Lindsey smiled after he left then turned to his unconscious brother and sighed.

Eliot hadn't always been the angry brother. When they were young and had nothing, Lindsey had been the angry one. Eliot rolled with the punches and took care of him and Sara Beth.

Then Mom died.

And then Dad got the hardware store and things started turning around.

Lindsey had been angry when things were bad. He wouldn't listen, wouldn't help with Sara Beth, and fought over the smallest of things.

Eliot made sure that his brother was ready for school. He made breakfast and lunch and helped with dishes. When Lindsey was being particularly bratty, he'd give him a lecture or slap him upside the head. When Sara Beth was colicky he rocked her to sleep, which could take a while when she was particularly inconsolable.

Then Mom died.

Eliot suddenly had to do much more. He had to worry about dinner and laundry and bed time and dirty diapers on top of homework.

Lindsey started helping, stopped being so angry. Started being more like Eliot.

Then, a month after Mom died, Dad got the hardware store.

Two months and they moved into a better home.

Three months and Eliot got into his first fight at school.

Four months and Lindsey had straight A's on his report card.

Lindsey had been angry when things were bad.

Eliot was angry when he thought his mom could have beat her sickness if Dad had gotten the store sooner.

Lindsey decided he would never be poor again.

Eliot decided that money could fix or ruin everything and he would never let it control his life again.

Freshman year their dad signed Eliot up at a gym and Eliot started playing football.

Then he enlisted and Lindsey saw something in his brother that he hadn't seen in years and certainly hadn't thought war would bring him. Peace.

When Eliot enlisted he found control and order.

Then the government betrayed him, let him to rot in cell more closely resembling a dungeon than prison.

Then Aimee left him.

And now Eliot is starting bar fights and trying not to fall apart.

"Hey Linny." At least he wasn't unconscious anymore.

"What are you starting bar fights for?"

"What makes you think I started it?"

Lindsey gave his brother a long look that said better than any words to cut the crap.

Eliot sighed. "You hear about Aimee?" He asked quietly, not meeting his brother's eyes.

It was Lindsey's turn to sigh. "Yeah, I heard. I'm sorry man." He paused for a moment and then decided it had to be said.

"You know that's not really an excuse for beating the crap outta half the bar, right?"

Eliot closed his eyes. "Yeah, I know. It won't happen again."

Lindsey rolled his eyes, having heard Eliot express the same sediment in the same tone to their dad every time he got into a fight at school.

They were quiet for a while after that, Lindsey was almost asleep when Eliot spoke again.

"I'm leaving town once I get outta this hospital." He said quietly, half hoping his brother had fallen asleep but knowing that he hadn't.

"I'll be outta reach for a while but I'll give you a call when I can. " he added before Lindsey had fully processed the first statement.

"Thought you weren't goin to re-enlist?" Lindsey asked, knowing full well that when Eliot said outta reach it wasn't because he was going somewhere without cell reception.

"I'm not." was the only answer he got.

"Where you goin? "Lindsey finally asked when he realized Eliot wasn't going to offer anymore.

"Croatia."

* * *

PPlease review!


End file.
